AT&T prices the 8800 at $50 more than the 8300 despite the fact that's it's been out for a few months already.

Can someone please explain the justification for this? Does Blackberry/AT&T believe that the 8800 is the flagship model? Why else would this be the case? Are there any tangible benefit to the 8800 over the 8300?

AT&T prices the 8800 at $50 more than the 8300 despite the fact that's it's been out for a few months already.

Can someone please explain the justification for this? Does Blackberry/AT&T believe that the 8800 is the flagship model? Why else would this be the case? Are there any tangible benefit to the 8800 over the 8300?

GRATEFUL FOR INPUT!

GPS
Lack of camera (for corporations)

The contract price typically moves down the longer the phone has been out. The SLP seems to stay the same.

When I got my 8800 in Feb, it was $399 with a $100 mail in rebate! Now the Curve is $299 with a $100 mail in rebate! The 8800 is marketed as a business device, catering to people who will use all of it's functions like GPS and what not! And the Curve like the Pearl is really marketed towards the consumer, let's say more mainstream, that's we're the camera comes in. So I guess that's we're the price difference comes into play. Similar to when the Pearl came out, the 8700 was still more expensive!

The 8800 is marketed as a business device, whereas the 8300 is more of a consumer device. AT&T believes that it's appropriate to price business oriented models higher.
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EDIT: I'm not sure AT&T is correct, BTW. I'm a partner in a lawfirm. I'd prefer the 8300.

Interesting marketing technique. Simply refer to something as 'business' and jack the price EVEN though you sell other products cheaper? That's quite a slight at the intelligence of the business community!

As to the camera issue, I'm certain it would be easy for BB or the network to disable to camera if that really was a concern which I doubt anyway.

Interesting marketing technique. Simply refer to something as 'business' and jack the price EVEN though you sell other products cheaper? That's quite a slight at the intelligence of the business community!

As to the camera issue, I'm certain it would be easy for BB or the network to disable to camera if that really was a concern which I doubt anyway.

There not concerned at all! That why the 8800 has the GPS,
and the Curve has the camera!
Different strokes for differnt folks! To them the Curve is all about unit sales, a consumer marketed device equals more sales to the general public, so $199 after rebates works. And the 8800 is not such a consumer driven device, so I guess they feel less unit sales means charge more money for the 8800. Same thing they did with the pearl!

that is a personal opinion, do you think that RIM really puts no thought into its pricing? They market different phones to different customers, those different customers can afford different prices. If you were to take a poll of major corps. running blackberries you will find that most use the business model - 8800, 87xx. They do not want cameras (disabled or not) and as for your opinion on which is a better device, its an opinion, i have one too and I think the 8800 is a better device for me.

__________________
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Guys, I've seen component-level invoices for RIM products. The camera hardware components cost them a whopping $4 or so to include. The GPS unit, OTOH, costs about $30 to include. Throw in margin and it's pretty easy to see why the 8800 retails for more. It costs more to make. I won't discount the fact that the demand for it may be higher than the 8300 given business purchases, but it's simple economics....the 8800 is valued higher from a pure manufacturing perspective.

These cameras are give-aways. None of them are that good...maybe good enough for "phone cams" but still crappy compared to a real digicam.

Interesting marketing technique. Simply refer to something as 'business' and jack the price EVEN though you sell other products cheaper? That's quite a slight at the intelligence of the business community!

As to the camera issue, I'm certain it would be easy for BB or the network to disable to camera if that really was a concern which I doubt anyway.

Hmmmm. I purchased RIM stock at $36 a share and they are now around $168. Who's intelligence of business is "slight"?

Sounds like someone is just upset because the price of the 8800 did not take a nose dive when the 8300 came out so you could buy it! The demand for the 8800 is still VERY strong, as it should be. It is in great demand in the corporate sector.

Hmmmm. I purchased RIM stock at $36 a share and they are now around $168. Who's intelligence of business is "slight"?

Sounds like someone is just upset because the price of the 8800 did not take a nose dive when the 8300 came out so you could buy it! The demand for the 8800 is still VERY strong, as it should be. It is in great demand in the corporate sector.